1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

Trump's attempt to federalize the D.C. police force and deploy the National Guard is an alarming overreach of federal authority. Official statistics show violent crime in Washington is at a 30-year low, contradicting the president's claims of rampant lawlessness used to justify this move. His portrayal of the capital as overrun by "bloodthirsty criminals" and "roving mobs" does not reflect reality on the ground. This temporary seizure of local policing powers sets a disturbing precedent that could enable the president to send federal forces into cities against the will of state and local officials. It represents an unwarranted escalation and militarization of law enforcement better handled by community-based solutions. The deployment risks violating constitutional limits on using the military for domestic law enforcement and breaching Washington D.C.'s limited home rule. I urge you to use your authority as a representative to push back against this federal overreach into local policing. Congress should assert its oversight role and prevent the president from further undermining civilian control and self-governance in the nation's capital under specious public safety justifications not supported by facts. Safeguarding democratic norms and civil liberties must take precedence over the president's authoritarian impulses. If we fail to limit Trump's attempts to amass all the power, you will go down in history as the Congress that stood by and allowed it to happen. Where is your honor? You took an oath. Uphold it!